Update from the Registry – April 01, 2021

Dear Colleagues,

On behalf of the management and staff of the PCN, I welcome you all to the month of April, 2021. The first quarter of the year is over and was characterized with lots of activities that have positively impacted our noble profession and we are today beginning the second quarter of the year, which we also believe would surely yield greater results and rewards for us all.

The registration and renewal of Pharmacists and premises licences is ongoing. While I commend the Pharmacists who have renewed their practicing and/or premises licences as at March, 2021, I urge Pharmacists who are yet to do so to attend to their registration without further delay to avoid penalties and other consequences of late registration.

In the month of March 2021, 258 fresh Pharmacy Graduates were inducted into our noble Pharmacy profession. This comprises 235 Pharmacists from the Madonna University, Elele, Rivers State, and 23 Pharmacists from University of Ibadan. Join me in congratulating the 258 Pharmacists from these Universities.

The first cycle of the Pre-Registration Examination for Pharmacists (PEP) was held on Saturday, March 20, 2021 nationwide at nine centres nationwide. Nine Hundred and Two (902) Pharmacists sat for the examination. The result of the examination has been published on the Council’s website – pcn.gov.ng. Furthermore, the second cycle of PEP will hold on Saturday, October 23, 2021 nationwide at the same venues.

Application for the first cycle of the Foreign Pharmacists Graduate Orientation Programme (FPGOP) will close on April 16, 2021 and the programme will hold at Bayero University, Kano, and University of Benin simultaneously from April 26 to June 6, 2021.

In pursuant of PCN desire to ensure availability of effective and good quality drugs in the national distribution chain, by tackling the proliferation of illegal drug outlets, a follow-up enforcement visit was undertaken to Oyo State in the month of March 2021.  This was done to ensure that operational lapses observed during the previous enforcement activities in October, 2020 have been addressed by the facilities concerned.

It is important to state however, that the follow-up enforcement resulted in the sealing of 48 unregistered Patent Medicine Shops owing to lack of compliance with PCN guidelines in their operations.

Furthermore, three suspects were arrested for breaking the PCN seal placed on their premises/shops during October 2020 activities. The three suspects are currently undergoing investigation for possible prosecution.

 In the month of March, 2021, PharmAccess, in collaboration with PCN, organized a sensitization event on ‘Digitized Regulatory Tools’ for the PCN stakeholders in three zones namely; PCN – South-East (Enugu), South-South (Uyo), and North-West (Kaduna). The event was organized as a platform of sensitization and orientation of stakeholders on the Digitized Regulatory Tools which the Registry would be deploying to enhance inspectorate activities.

Consequent upon the decision of the PCN Governing Council at its 41^st Regular Meeting held on November 19, 2020 to immortalize the past Chairmen and Registrars by naming the Auditoria, Halls and Committee Rooms after them, the Chairman PCN Governing Council, Prof. Ahmed Tijjani Mora, mni, led PCN team to perform the official naming ceremonies at the Lagos, South West, South South and North West Zonal Offices in March, 2021.  The honorees include Pharm. Dame Patience Oviasu, Late Chief Sir Andrew A. Egboh, Late Pharm. A. O. Sonubi, Late Pharm. S. O. Coker, Pharm. Moses C. Azuike, Late Pharm. (Mrs.) Jolasun Okusanya, Emeritus Prof. Festus Ogunbona, Prof. Etienne E. Essien, Prof. Gabriel E. Osuide and Prof. Ahmed Tijjani Mora, mni, who was also once a Registrar of the PCN.

The preparation towards the 42^nd Governing Council meeting has commenced with Ad hoc and sub-Committee meetings respectively held in March, 2021.  The reports and recommendations of the Committees would be presented to the Governing Council for ratification.

I enjoin all Pharmacists and other stakeholders to continue to support and collaborate with PCN and join hands with PCN to make our mandate impactful on the Nigerian Health System.

God bless Nigeria.

Pharm. N. A. E. Mohammed, Ph.D, FPSN, FNIM, FPCPharm, FNAPharm

Registrar